Spacer for use in typographical machines.



APPLICATION FILED AUG. 18. 1913- Patented June 8, 1915.

0.. WASHINGTON, [L C CARL HERIMANN CI-IRISTEL, 0F BERLIN, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR '10- MERGENTHALER LINOTYPE COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

SPACER FOR USE IN TYPOGRAPHICAL MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented June 8, 1915.

Original application filed November 15, 1909, Serial N 0.528322. Divided and this application filed August 18, 1913. Serial No.785,316. v

' larly described consists of improved, spacers foruse in typographical machines, in con-- nection with matrices of the type which is provided with more than one face of the respective character, such for example, as are described in the specification of Letters Patcut No. 547,633, October 8th, 1895, and No. 615,909, December 13th,v 1898, the said matrices being adapted to occupy two different operative positions according to i which face is to be called into requisition.

The operative position in a machine equipped with matrices is that adapted to register with the mold.

The specification of the second of the above two patents, discloses two-face mat- 30 rices-held with theirlower faces in the operativeposition, by a ledge i (Fig. 3) while they are in and passing through the assembling elevator I, and by a ledge on a so-' called blade n (Figs. 4 and 13) while they are in the first elevator N- Neitherv of these lugs which project-to the front from the said bodies. Between the assembling elevator I and the first elevator N, there is thei-ntermediate channel M which has a ledge at functionally the same level therein as the ledges above mentioned. It is on this ledge that the front bottom lugs of the said matrices ride as they pass through the said guide M. These matrices pass through-the assembler elevator I, then through the guide M, into the first .elevator N and, lastly, out of it, their front bottom lugs rubbing most of the time upon the said ledges. Now, as none of the said ledges underlie the bodies of the matrices, but the front bottom lugs only, all

, the'wear on the matrices dueto friction between'them and the ledges, falls uponthe bottom faces of the said lugs. This wear is very mischievous, because matricesso worn, will hold their lower face below the operative position, by a distance equal to that wear. The object of the present inventionis to prevent or minimize such wear, by 'increasing the area of contact between each matrix on the one hand, and a ledge on the other, this increase being in the direction of the width of a ledge, whereby-some of the body of each matrix, in addition to its front bottom lug, shall rub over and rest upon the ledge.

The accompanying drawings show improved spacers according to the present invention, together with a part of a'linotype machine in which the said spacers are adapted to be used and matrices adapted for operative association with the said spacers. The machine here selected for illustration is the same as that chosen for the illustration of the inventions of the two patents above-mentioned, viz :-a Mergenthaler line casting machine; neither the said machine nor the matrices, however, constitute any part of the present invention, they, themselves, having been embodied in. an application for Letters Patent, Serial Number 528,222, filed November 15, 1909, from which the present one is a divisional application, and ina divisional application Serial Number caress, filed May 1, 1912.

' In the said drawings :Figure 1 is a side elevation of a matrix; Figs. 2 and 3 are vertical Sections looking from the right-hand side of the machine; and Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are side elevations .of spacers.

1, 1 are bodies of matrices; 2, their front top lugs, and 3, their rear top lugs; 4, their front bottom lugs, and 5, their rear bottom lugs; 6, the top formative cavities, and 7 thefbottorn formative cavities for the two faces of the respective character; one of which cavities must register with the mold cavity; 8 a portion of the mold Wheel; v9, the mold block fast thereon; 10, the. mold cavifty; and 11, the first elevator, all as heretoore.

12 is the widened ledge, the extension or extra width of which projects rearward beyond the face 13 and stands, therefore, in a position :for some of the body 1 of a matrix (as distinguished from a front lug 4 of the latter) to .rub over and rest upon.: Matrices ties 7 in register with the mold cavity 10,

contact with the ledge 12 by their lugs 4E and' adjacent portions 'of'the feet of their bodies 1, such portions being of the same area as the extra width of the said ledge, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Matrices that are required to have their top cavities 6 in register with the mold cavity 10, hang in the elevator 11 by their lugs 2, 3 engaging on ledges 14c, their lugs 4 being under the ledge 12.

As any matrix may be required to have its top cavity 6 in register with the mold cavity 10, when the extra width of the ledge 12 would prevent it passing into the elevator 11, by standing in the way of its body 1, each matrix has a notch 15 in its front edge, large enough to clear such extra width.

Spacers on the principle of the single or of the double wedge, are well known in connection with the justification of. the composed line in a typographical composing machine. To enable wedge spacers to justify the composed line, they are, if single, pushed further through it; and if double, one or both of their Wedges is or are pushed farther through it and over the other wedge, both pushings being effected by the movement of the justifier. But if these wedge spacers should be as wide as the matrices or the type dies, their having notches '15 in their front edges, will not suffice. Such notches must, to meet the requirement of the present invention, be extended lengthwise of the wedge that is to be pushed, for a distance not less than the movement of the justifier, in order that that wedge may continue to clear the extra width of the ledge 12. Thus, the spacers used in a Mergenthaler line casting machine are as wide as the matrices used therein, and are also double wedge spacers. 16 and 17 are the two wedges, of different lengths, oppositely inclined, and both slidably connected to-' gether, the short wedge 16 having lugs 18 which engage in slots 19 in the elevator 11, to support the spacer therein and to hold the wedge 16 stationary'while the longer wedge 17 is pushed through the composed line and at the same time over the wedge 16 by the justifier. 20 is the extended notch. This notch may extend for nearly the whole length of the wedge, stopping short of both top and bottom, as shown in Fig. 1; or throughout the joint length of both wedges, as shown in Fig. 6.

It is essential that the matrices and spacers for each line should be securely clamped together at the mold and also-that they should be accurately and closely pressed or clamped against the mold, in order that no metal may escape between or around the matrices when the pumpis operated. The ledge 12 is made to fit the notch of each matrix and to extend'exactly to the bottom of the notch when the matrix isin casting position. When thus proportioned the ledge operates as a part of the clamping devices to press the matrices firmly anduniformly.

against themold. The spacers are required to be not greater in width than the distance from the ledge to the plane of the face of the moldin order that they may be pushed up during the justification of the line. On the other hand the width of the spacers should be equal to the width of the bodies of the matrices at the notches 15, that is, their. width should be equal to the distance from the bottom of the notch15 to. the opposite side of the matrix. When thus cons'tructed' the ledge 12 will press equally upon the spacers and matrices and hold them uni formly against the mold. The ledge 12 therefore servesto sustain the matrices at the proper elevations when presenting them to the mold and also to assist in pressing the mold to prevent any escape of metal along the inner face of the matrix line.

In cases in" which the matrices are provided with morethan two superposed formative cavities, it will be necessary to provide the said matrices with'more than one notch 15 and this in a manner which is obvious to. any expert. For. example, matrices with three superposed formative "cavities will each require to have two superposed notches 15 above the lower front lug 4L, and the first elevator ll-or its equivalent will require to have two superposed horizontal ledges .12.

Having described my invention, I declare that what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A justifying spacer for linotype machines comprising two. cooperating wedge-. shaped parts, one stationary and the other movable, the movable part having a moldengaging edge and having its opposite edge recessed, for the purpose described.

2. A justifying spacer for linotype machines comprising two cooperatingwedgeshaped parts, one stationary and the other movable; the movable part having a moldengaging edge and having a portion extend I ing from the mold engaging edge to the opposite edge of less body width than that of the matrices with which the spacer is de- .operating wedge-shaped parts, one'stationary and the other movable, the said stationmy part having a portion of less body width than the matrices at and near its lower end,

and extending from the mold engaging edge to the opposite edge, for the purpose described.

5. A justifying spacer comprising two cooperating wedge-shaped parts, one stationary and the other movable, and both said parts being less inwidth at portions in their length than the matrices with which they are designed to be associated, for the purpose described.

6. A justifying spacer comprising two cooperating wedge-shaped parts, one stationary and the other movable, the movable part having a body width at its upper end equal to that of the matrices with which the spacer is designed to be associated, and reduced in width between its opposite edges below said end, for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I afi iX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CARL HERMANN CHRISTEL. Witnesses:

ERNST LEFVES, Loom OEHLMANN.

flopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G." 

